Amman, June 8 (Petra) – The Cabinet decided to increase the price preference granted to Jordanian industrial products in government tenders to 20% instead of 15% to support national industry, enhance competitiveness and increase its contribution to economic growth.

Under the decision, all ministries, government departments, public institutions, universities, municipalities, joint service councils, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and companies fully or majority-owned by the government are required to apply the 20% price preference in public tenders and procurement, provided that Jordanian products comply with approved technical and engineering specifications.

This means Jordanian industrial products will be given priority even if their price is up to 20% higher than imported alternatives, provided they meet technical requirements.

Exceptions may be made in cases where the application of the preference is not feasible or where technical or operational justifications exist, subject to coordination with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply and proper justification.

The Cabinet said the measure is intended to strengthen reliance on local products, increase demand for national industries and enable factories to expand production capacity and competitiveness, thereby creating more job opportunities and supporting industrial investment.

The decision aligns with the Economic Modernisation Vision, particularly in relation to boosting the industrial sector's contribution to GDP, expanding exports and strengthening local supply chains and added value.

Support for Tourism Transport Sector The Cabinet approved extending previous support measures and facilities for the tourism sector to include specialised tourist transport companies.

The decision follows earlier measures in March tasking the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) with coordinating with commercial banks to enable tourism establishments to access financing to cover operating costs, including salaries, with government support covering interest costs and restructuring obligations until December 31, 2026.

Officials said specialised tourist transport companies are a key component of the tourism system and have been affected by regional developments. The support aims to ensure business continuity, preserve jobs and maintain operational readiness of the tourism transport fleet.

There are 26 licensed specialised tourist transport companies in Jordan, operating around 1,100 buses and small and medium-sized vehicles and employing approximately 2,500 workers.

Draft Law on Accreditation and Quality Assurance The Cabinet approved the draft Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority Law for 2026, to be submitted to the House of Representatives.

The draft law establishes a comprehensive national system for accreditation and quality assurance covering general education, higher education and vocational and technical training, in line with the Economic Modernisation Vision and public sector modernisation roadmap.

A key feature of the law is the inclusion of school education within the national quality assurance system, granting the authority responsibility for accrediting kindergartens and public and private schools.

The draft provides for a preparatory phase to develop technical and institutional frameworks, including accreditation tools, assessor training and awareness programmes to promote a culture of quality in education.

It transfers the responsibilities of the Education Quality and Accountability Unit from the Ministry of Education to the new authority and centralises recognition, equivalency and certification functions under a unified body.

The authority would manage accreditation of higher education and vocational training institutions and programmes in all formats, as well as oversee the National Qualifications Framework, including recognition of prior learning and alignment of educational outputs with labuor market needs.

Professional Work Regulation Law The Cabinet approved the draft Professional Work Regulation Law of 2026 to be enacted alongside the accreditation law.

The law aims to regulate vocational and technical professions, improve oversight of training providers and strengthen professional licensing systems under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour.

It seeks to involve the private sector in updating training and occupational standards to meet labour market demands.

Arbitration Law Amendments The Cabinet approved the justifications for an amendment to the Arbitration Law of 2026, to be referred to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau.

The amendment seeks to strengthen the legal framework for arbitration in line with international standards, promote Jordan as a regional arbitration hub and establish a specialised international arbitration centre with legal personality.

Institutional and Regulatory Reforms The Cabinet approved several administrative and regulatory measures, including: An amendment to the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply's organisational bylaw to establish a Competition Protection Department in line with the amended Competition Law No. 8 of 2026.

A bylaw for the Cooperative Development Institute to strengthen training, capacity building and advisory services for the cooperative sector.

A Cooperative Fund regulation to provide sustainable financing for cooperatives, support productive projects and enhance governance and oversight.

A draft law repealing the Civil Consumer Corporation Law of 2026, paving the way for the merger of the Civil and Military Consumer Corporations to improve efficiency, pricing stability and food security.

Housing and Social Support The Cabinet approved housing support for eligible families under the Housing Finance Support Programme, with funding totaling JD3.25 million for 2026.

The programme aims to reduce interest rates on housing loans and expand access to affordable housing for low- and middle-income Jordanians. It includes land development projects offering plots at reduced prices in several governorates.

Health Sector Financing The Cabinet approved a $400 million financing agreement with the World Bank for the Results-Based Health Sector Reform Programme, running until 2030.

The programme aims to improve health service quality, strengthen governance in hospitals, expand primary healthcare, enhance early disease detection and accelerate digital transformation in Health.

Funding would be tied to measurable performance indicators under a results-based financing model.

Appointments The Cabinet decided to retire Mahmoud Shaalan, Secretary-General of the Economic and Social Council, and appoint Nadhir Awamleh as his successor.

//Petra// AK